Strengthening of oncology nursing education and training in Africa in the year of the nurse and midwife: addressing the challenges to improve cancer control in Africa

The Cancer burden in Africa is increasing. Nurses play a pivotal role in health care systems and find themselves in a key position to engage with patients, communities and other health professionals to address disparities in cancer care and work towards achieving cancer control in Africa. The rapidly evolving nature of cancer care requires a highly skilled and specialised oncology nurse to either provide clinical care and/or conduct research to improve evidence-based practice. Although Africa has been slow to respond to the need for trained oncology nurses, much has been done over the past few years. This article aims to provide an update of Oncology nursing education and training in Africa with specific focus on South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia and Egypt. Mapping oncology nursing education and training in Africa in 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, provides an opportunity to leverage on the essential roles of the oncology nurse and commit to an agenda that will drive and sustain progress to 2030 and beyond.